2 ways to improve your sleep…

For a lot of us, a poor night’s sleep is all too common. Struggling to nod off, or interrupted sleep can leave us feeling tired, unmotivated and grouchy the next day – hardly an ideal situation if you’ve got a busy day ahead. In fact, UK researchers have shown that continued sleep deprivation actually affects how your genes work. It is vitally important then that we have a bed that is as comfortable as possible to help ensure our perfect rest. Here is all of the essentials you will need to help you do this…

Mattress
The most important factor in ensuring your comfort is of course the mattress. Most people neglect their mattress and are guilty of sleeping on the same one for an eternity. For example, if you’ve had your mattress for ten years, you will have slept on it for an average of around 30,000 hours, so no wonder it’s starting to look a bit worn! It is recommended that you change your mattress every 7-8 years, as this is the average lifespan of a mattress. A mattress that is too firm or too soft can cause aches and pains so it is important to get it right. A memory foam mattress is one of the best options on the market, especially if you and your partner prefer different levels of firmness. The specially designed material moulds to your sleeping position, providing ultimate support and comfort where you need it most. When viewing mattresses in a showroom, you can’t fully test them out without attracting a stern look from a salesman. Companies like Zleeps actually offer you a 60 night trial of your memory foam mattress so you can make sure that it is perfect for you.

Duvet

Another factor that could potentially affect your sleep is your duvet. Trying to sleep while you are too hot or cold can seem like a battle you will never win. When buying a duvet, some people are unaware of what the tog rating means on the pack. A tog rating is a measure of how warm your duvet is – the higher the tog the warmer the duvet is. With this in mind, a duvet with a lower tog will be better for hot summer nights, but a higher tog will be necessary for the winter. Some people have both a winter and a summer duvet which they alternate throughout the year, however this can stretch your budget. If you don’t want to splash out on two duvets, go for one that has a tog of between 10 and 13. These are the optimum togs for year-round duvets. Making these few, simple changes to your bed can dramatically improve your sleep.